Jasmine sighed and said, “Some parents can be quite baffling. They disapprove of their grateful children but play favorites with other children who can’t care less about them.” Serena took a moment in silence before saying, “These parents hurt the kids who care while their favorite children hurt them instead. Some siblings never get close and even cut contact after their parents pass away because of the deferential treatment among siblings.”
“I’m lucky my family is not like that. My grandparents treat us all equally. There are no favorites or least liked. My uncles are nice too. We get along well with our cousins,” Jasmine said.
Serena did not add to the conversation after that. She wished she had a family like Jasmine’s.
She was not on good terms with her cousins.
Ring, ring, ring….
Jasmine’s phone rang.
Thinking it was Josh, Jasmine pulled out her phone and said to her best friend, “He didn’t call me the whole day today. I think he’s starting to get bored of me.”
Serena amusedly replied, “Mr. Bucham loves you to the moon and back. He’ll never get bored of you.
“Like attracts like. My man is committed, so I’m sure his best friends have the same attitude when it comes to love too. Don’t worry, Mr. Bucham had been single for so long for the right woman to come along, and that person is you.”
“It’s not Josh. It’s my brother.”
Serena murmured, “Oh, it’s not Mr. Bucham…”
She thought Josh called to ask Jasmine out for dinner.
Serena had informed Zack that she met Shawn, but Zack had not replied. She wondered if Zack might get jealous.
She only happened to run into Shawn, and the meetup was no more than five minutes. Surely, the man would not be jealous… right?
Since he was not responding, Zack was probably busy at work.
Zack was the CEO of York Corporation after all. Time was money to him..
“Drake.”
Jasmine accepted the call from her brother. “What’s the matter? Something’s going on at home?”
“Come home quickly, Jas! There’s something you got to see.
Drake sounded thrilled over the phone as he urged Jasmine to hurry home.
“What’s that?”
Jasmine was itching with curiosity.
“What’s the something I got to see?“.
Drake answered with a smile, “I can’t tell you right now. Anyway, just come back as soon as you can. It’s something good. That’s what I can tell you. Hurry home, okay?”
“B*stard! Just put me out of my misery. What is it? Did something good happen at home? Did Dad win the jackpot? Did you bring your girlfriend home?”
Mr. Sox got into the habit of buying lottery tickets. He had never won anything, but that was his guilty pleasure.
He would only buy the same set of numbers, and he believed the numbers would win him the jackpot one day.
“Well, I won’t tell you to come home quickly if I’m bringing my girlfriend home. Stop asking, Jas. I told you it’s something good. Just come home, and hurry. Tell Serena to watch the shop tonight or just close early.”
Jasmine looked at the time–school was almost out.
“Drake, just tell me already. The kids are getting out of school soon, so that means we’re going to be busy at the shop. This better be good, so unless the sky is falling down, I won’t be heading back until after six.”
Drake was not going to say more. “Jasm, hand the phone to Serena. I need to talk to her.”
Jasmine mumbled, “I’m your sister, and you’re saying something happened at home. You don’t want to tell me, but you plan to tell Serena? Do you think you can hide it from me, b*
stard?”
Despite the nagging, Jasmine passed the phone to Serena and told her best friend, “Drake is keeping me guessing. I don’t know what’s going on, but he wants to speak to you.”
Taking the phone with a smile, Serena asked Drake who was on the other end of the line, What’s up, Drake? You can talk to me. I promise to keep it a secret. I won’t let your sister know.”
Truth be told, Jasmine had stuck her ear against the phone so she could get the message. straight from Drake.
Her brother piqued her curiosity. Now, Jasmine was dying to find out what was going on at home. All she was told was that it was good, but it was not enough for her to go by.
“Serena, is my sister eavesdropping next to you? Go outside, and don’t let my sister follow you. Then, I’ll tell you.” Drake knew his sister too well.
Serena looked at her best friend.
“Dang. Is the boy spying on us or something?”
Jasmine chewed her brother out.
With a smile, Serena got up and walked out of the shop. She refused to let Jasmine come along.
Thinking that Serena would tell her later, Jasmine left Serena to walk out of the shop.
There was no telling what Drake said to Serena. Serena returned several minutes later and gleefully handed the phone back to Jasmine. She said with a smile, “Don’t bother about the shop, Jasmine. Just get home.”
“I have Milo and Harry here. They can help. Just go home.”
“What is it? Why are you all acting secretive? What did he tell you, Serena? Just tell me.”
The suspense was killing Jasmine. Yet, her best friend and brother would not let slip.
“You’ll know when you get home. It’ll ruin the surprise if I tell you now. I can tell you that it’s a good thing though. Now go home.”
Serena happily urged her best friend to go home.
She grabbed Jasmine’s car keys and slipped them into Jasmine’s hand. “Go on.”
Jasmine stared at her best friend and then at her car keys in her hand before lightly pounding on Serena’s shoulder. She grumbled, “You won’t even give me something to work on even though we have been friends for more than a decade. Well, I’ll have to see for myself what’s this big surprise.”
Serena saw her best friend off and uttered, “Don’t speed on the road. There’s nothing to worry about. It’s a good thing.”
Jasmine mounted her e–bike, started the engine, and replied, “Got it.”
Standing at the shop entrance, Serena watched her best friend ride away.
Although it was something good, Jasmine could not figure out what it was. Her brother refused to tell her, and even Serena was holding back on her. Serena said something about ruining the surprise.
While many guesses went through her head, Jasmine rolled the throttle and made her way back home.
Fortunately, her home was not too far from the school. She soon reached her town.
Her town was well–developed and bustling like the city.
Before getting to her house, Jasmine noticed a lot of people gathered around her gate. There were many cars parked outside too. These people held their phones up and took photos.
What was going on?
Why were they crowding at the gate of her house? What were they snapping?
“Jasmine’s back.”
Someone spotted Jasmine and shouted out loud.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.